Todok

Todok, Codonopsis lanceolata, is a perennial climbing vine in the bellflower family, Campanulaceae. It grows as a twining plant rather than an upright one, reaching about 1.5 metres, which places it in the vine layer of a garden where it can climb over supports or companion plants. Its native range spans a wide band of East Asia: Amur, Manchuria, Primorye, Khabarovsk, the Kuril Islands, Japan, Korea, Inner Mongolia, and north-central, south-central, and southeast China. Across that range it is associated with moist ground, and in cultivation it does best in light or medium, sandy soils that stay moist. It tolerates full sun to partial shade and is hardy in zones 6 to 9, though it is not drought tolerant and depends on steady moisture. The plant's principal use is as food. Both the leaves and the roots are edible. The roots can be cooked or dried and stored for later use, while the leaves are typically eaten fresh, in salads or as a garnish. This gives Todok a dual role in a kitchen garden, supplying both a root crop and a leafy green from the same climbing plant. To grow it, provide a light or medium soil kept moist, in full to partial sun, and allow the vine room to climb. It is a perennial in zones 6 to 9. Because the leaves and roots are eaten, anyone harvesting Todok should confirm the plant's identity and prepare it as they would any unfamiliar food.